Naked statue dressed up for rugby tourney

UPI News Service, 02/04/2009

A prominent statue of a naked man was dressed up for a big rugby tourney in Wellington, New Zealand, this week only sans pants.

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Nicole Retter, an events coordinator for the local tourism agency, braved high winds to deck out the upper half of the Solace in the Wind statue that graces Wellington's waterfront with a "We Love Wellington" T-shirt, a cape, sailor hat, Hawaiian lei, a bucket and spade, and a rubber duck. But no trousers.

The idea was to promote the NZI Sevens rugby tournament to be played out Friday and Saturday.

A statue of John Plimmer, known as the Father of Wellington, also got a makeover.

"We will be changing or adding to their costumes every day in the lead-up to the NZI Sevens, depending on what state of undress we find them in due to the weather or other external forces," Retter said.

The public is being invited to get in on the act. They can bring old costumes "appropriate for the public eye" to adorn the statues.

However, while the Solace in the Wind statue may get away with being only half-dressed, spectators attending the games at Westpac Stadium "must conform to reasonable standards of decency," which would rule out such partial nudity.

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